Electric zinc-furnace with integral condenser.



NDENSER.

ELECTRIC ZI APPLICATION FILED lMAY Z1, 1913.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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C. V. a M. THIERRY. ELECTRIC ZINC FURNACE WITH INTEGRAL GONDENSEB.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 2l, 1913.

atentei Deo. 29, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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l By G. V. L M. THIERRY. BLBGTRIG ZINC PURNAGE WITH INTEGRAL GONDENSBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1913.

UNITED 'srarisrggnnr onirica.

CHARLES VICTOR THIERRY ANI) MICHEL THIERRY, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC ZIN C-FURNACE WITH INTEGRAL CONDENSER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES VICTOR THIERRY and MICHEL THIERRY, both citizens of the Republic of France, and residents o' the city of Paris, in said Republic or" France, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Electric Zinc-Furnaces with Integral Condensers, (Case Ad) oi' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the metallurgy of zinc, having for its object the production ot' .zinc-fume andl its subsequent condensation to liquid metal. The particular means for attaining the desired results and such an clucidation of the general principles involved as may appear necessary will be concurrently described and pointed out in connection with the accompanying drawings; which denote an embodiment of the invention.

Figure l is an end elevation; Fig. is a transverse section, as on the line-A ot' Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal center section, as B, Fig. 2, from lelt hand end of the furnace to the center line K, while the right hand side of the figure is taken along either ot' the lines C, or (J1, from above and thence down to the points D, or D1, and Fig. 4 is a top plan view from the left hand side of the center' line, K, while the right hand portion of the illustration is a horizontal section along the planes H and J, of Fig. 2.

This furnace is particularly intended for the reduction of oxid of zinc such as commercial oXid of zinc combined With carbon inthe form of coke, coal or the like as the reagent whereby, when adequately7 heated,

substantially the following representativel If pure Zn() and C are used in precisely correct relative proportions then the answer of the above formula is an exact expression of the result in that all ofthe charged material would be volatilized as zinc fumeand monoxid of carbon in which case there would be no residue. Such conditions, however, do not obtain m commercial practice as morgfor less inerresidual matter will remain, depending upon the purity of the materials employed and hence the formula. becomes simply representativeA above stated.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented De@ 29 1914.

Application ined May 21, 191s.

Serial No. 768,991.

The presence of this residual matter is a cause of dilliculty in realizing a successful result.

The heat necessary for decomposing the charge is preferably derived by direct conduction or by radiation or by both, from a resistor X formed of a bed of broken carbon, interpolated between terminals as 5, 5, suitably connected to a source of electric energy, indicated by the power circuit, P.

In cross section, the resistor is relatively thin, with respect to its breadth, and is supported along its lower narrow edge in a sump, (5. The vertical longitudinal sides of the resistor are preferably confined by right and left hand spaced plates` as 7, set on edge vertically-and disposed transversely to the resistor. Thus ,there are provided by and between said plates chutes or pockets, as M, whose bottoms, 8,may be sloped downwardly toward the trough.

Above the resistor is a longitudinal chainber Y, wider than the resistor, having two right and lei't hand troughs, 9, 9a. This longitudinal chamber is divided into transverse sub-chambers as N, Fig. 3, by bricks or tiles, as l2. The sub-chambers, andthe spaces between the troughs, are preferably filled with broken carbon; which rests upon theupper edge of the resistor and upon the troughs. The tiles, l2, serve' as thrust-members and also to prevent a direct flow of electricity through the carbon in lthe sub-chambers; hence this carbon is heated by conduction ot heat from the upper edge of the resistor and its hottest zone is immediately above the resistor. 'l

That portion of the furnace immediately above the lower edges, as, 13 of the tiles constitutes a portion of the condenser, and for convenience ofl description may be designated as the filtering section, or the filter.

From an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be observed that the combined furnace and condenser comprise a central T-shaped portion having at the bottom of the T a broken carbon resistor and at the upper part ot the T broken carbon intro which the product from shaped portion and also that said troughs are located above the zone in which thereaction takes place in the furnace.

The filter is inclosed by a series of covers, V, constructed of refractory material in which are formed a plurality of vertical fissures, slits, slots or perforal openings as z, which pass entirely throughthe said covers. These fissures are preferably disposed in two series, as see Figs. 2 and 4, each set being divided from the other by a solid center portion, las 1-1. lThus each series of these slots are directlyabove one or the other of the troughs, 9, 9a. Then, too, on top of the covers are laid flanged pans, as 15, which in cross section, F ig. 2, are like the letter I,

y thereby formingapan like receptacle above and a space-or chamber, as w, beneath. In these pans are adjusting screws, 15a, located off-center, whose points impinge upon portions ofthe cover, as shown.

Arranged along the outer longitudinal walls of the furnace are a number of vertical tubes,`as 16, 16a, open at both ends, and coinciding with the pockets, M, 'but beneathsaid tubes are transverse stoke openings, :s

17, 17a, in the side walls, which c onnect with i the ch u tes.

The operation of the furnace is as follows: Composite, charge-material (ZnO-l-C) is fed -into thetops of the tubes, as L, Figs. 2 and 4, thence gravitating down and into the pockets and flowing inwardly until arrested by the vertical faces of the resistor.A

Should the pockets not pack suflicientlyV full, this can be effected by poking through the stroke-openings in the side walls. When reaction' is established along or contiguous to the upright faces of the resistor, that is those portions thereof exposed to the charge between the files which form the pockets, the volatilized products, Zn and CO, How horizontally in tothe nterstices of the res i'st'or, thence vertically upwardly through the filter and are deiected right and left, by the center portion 14, to the outside portions vof the filter-carbon and thence onto `the condensing fissures in the covers, as indicated by the arrows c. to liquid metal, in the-,form of globules, will then gravitate, as arrowsl d, down through the filter-carbon and be collected in the underlying troughs, or receptacles, from whence it maybe tapped olf, as at z', F ig.3.

Among the conditions essential to elfective `condensation of zinc-fume it is important that there-shall be a progressive dimioi." reaction to the location of final precipitation as a liquid. This feature is realized by the radiation of heat to atmosphere of the slotted covers, and the rate thereof is a. i function controllable by the pans which are preferably formed of sheet orv cast metal.

Now, by .mOrQ `0l' `less filling the pans, as

Fume condensedwith sand, 02nd, ground carbon, ormineral wool, the rapidity with which the heat-units .will escape can be determined to suit therebe intermittently scraped out through suitable end-openings, not shown.

It may be pointed out that the tiles or bricks which form the pockets serve the important function of preventing a direct traverse of y electric current through the charge, when the latter is in physical contact with the resistor, and they also provide free zones in the resistor for the dispersion and flow, at a reduced velocity, of the fume and gas.

The covers are readily removable for in spection of the filter or its renewal, and this may also be done in the case of the resistor.

The slits or fissures are preferably of are the most convenient to mold and also to clean out if clogged, but the cross-sectional dimensions or form thereof are in no wise limited to that shown in the drawings.

' wedge-section, widest at the bottom, which- In a sense, the pans perform the function -of the. balloons in the old method of -zinc s melting; .for if fume fails to condense as a liquid in its, transit through the ilterand the fissures, it will or may be congealed .as l

blne-powder in 'the .pan-chambers, collecting upon the'upper facesof the material between the condensing slots. On the other hand, if the rate of evolution of fume and gas is very rapid, and the condensation is quite completely effected in the filters and action to proceed along the verticalv faces of.

iie

a resistor have'been elsewhere pointed out at length and need not be here repeated;

.andthe same observation applies broadlyto a condensation system comprised in'issured or perforated chamber walls. But the orand of use in the art, yet .various modifications may be made in the detail hereof with` out departing from the spirit and essence of the invention. y

We claim as ,our invention:

1.An electric-zinc furnacefhaving a resistor whose sidesurfacesfare partially retained by spaced plate's,. al' sunp directly ganization and. construction of .thesefeat i tures, as here presented, are novel, practicalnution 1n temperature from or near the seat beneath the resistor and by means of which the said resistor is sustained.

- 2. In an electric zine furnace a bed of carbon resistor resting in or upon a sump, a series of inclosed charge-pockets disposed along the vertical side or sides of said resistor and a series of vertical tubes for supplying the said poeketswith charge-material.

A3. In an electric zinc furnace a bed of carbon'resistor, a series of inclosed charge pockets disposed transversely to and along the side or sides of said resistor, a series of vertical tubes for supplying the said pockets with charge-material and stoking openings in the side-walls'.

4. In an electric zinc furnace a bed of l carbon resistor arranged and constructed to act upon charge-material disposed along its vertical sides, the volatilized products of the reaction passing primarily into the resistor and thence vertically upward, liquated zinc being collected in right and left hand reservoirs located above -the plane of said resistor, while the uncondensed fume and gas flow upwardly and out to atmosphere.

In an electric zinc furnace a bed of carbon resistor and a series of superimposed filter chambers filled with carbon` the chambers being wider than the cai-bcn resistor and the filter carbon being partially supported by the said resistor.

(5. In an electric zinc furnace a bed of carbon resistor, a series of superimposed filter-chambers filled with carbon partially supported by said resistor and a trough or troughs, disposed in a plane above the sald resistor, for collecting liquid zinc.

7. In an electric zinc furnace a bed of carbon resistor, a series of superimposed filter chambers and troughs for collecting liquid zinc, said chambers being filled with carbon partially supported by the resistor and partially by the troughs.

8. In an -electric zinc furnace a bed of carbon resistor' and superimposed filter chambers filled with carbon whose hottest zones are immediately above the resistor.

9. In an electric zinc furnace having a filter chamber or chambers located above a resistor adapted to receive' the volatilized products of the reaction from below, a primary cover or covers therefor provided with a plurality of vertical slits, fissures or perforal openings, in which fume is condensed but through which any residual fume and gas escape to a supplemental chamber, or chambers, formedupon the top of the primlary cover and thence' directly to at1nosp ere.

v10. In an electric zinc furnace, a cover or covers provided with a plurality of vertical slits, fissures, or perforal openings, in which fume is condensed and through which any residual fume and gas pass upwardly, entering from below, and a pan or pans, resting upon the said cover or covers, adapted to control -the temperature of the issuing fume or gas.

11. An electric furnace having a resistor, along the vertical sides of which the reaction takes place and located over the resistor f a condensing system having therein broken carbon which contacts With the resistor and which is provided with a receiving trough which .is located above the reaction zone.

l2. A combined -zinc furnace and condenser having in the central portion thereof a T-shaped space filled with broken carbon and provided at the lower portion of the T with a resistor, along the opposite sides of which the reaction takes place, the products of the reaction passing into the resistor, thence upwardly through the rest of the carbon in the T-shaped space.

13. In a combined zinc furnace and condenser a portion providing a T-shaped space filled with broken carbon having at the bottom of the T a carbon resistor and below the carbon in the arms of the T a trough or receptacle for liquid zinc.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of May A. D. 1913, in the city of Paris, in the Republic of France.

CHARLES VICTOR THIERRY. MICHEL THIERRY.

Signed in the presence of- RAoUL THOMAS, HANsoN C. CoxE.

Copie: of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

.- Washington, D. C. 

